It wasn't until five days before the wedding that Rebecca finally found a dress she loved.
She was walking through the shopping centre, killing some time before she met up with Hannah for lunch and with time running out before the wedding, she was starting to think that she was going to have to just suck it up and pick one of the others she had tried on.
It was then, as she exited back onto the busy London street that she spotted a cute looking little shop that she'd never seen before; Dorothy's Dresses and with a name like that, she was sold.
Entering the shop, she was met with the smell of a sweet smelling candle burning and as the door swung shut behind her, she had a very good feeling about this place.
And she was right to have that feeling because not even half an hour later, she was walking back out of there with her perfect dress.
Meanwhile, at the studio, since John is in the booth and Roger is her favourite, he's been nominated as the one who puts her down for a nap.
They've got a quiet area set up for her and when she starts to get fussy and things are getting just that little bit too loud for her delicate ears, he happily takes the baby from Brian and heads back.
As soon as they vacate the noise, she immediately starts to calm down.
"Can I tell you a secret, Lottie?" he whispers, holding the dozing baby securely against his chest, "You won't tell anyone, will you?"
All he gets in reply is a cute little baby sigh and he smiles.
"Knew you'd have my back," he sits down on the couch that's in the back room and repositions her so she's in his arms, staring up at him with big eyes, "You know your Aunt Becca and me? We're getting married. But everyone knows that already don't they? But see, the thing is, we're getting married on Friday."
Charlotte yawned and Roger started rocking her gently to try and get her to fall asleep.
"I know. That's big, isn't it? But you can't tell anyone. It's a surprise. It's our little secret."
He grins when she raises her little hand, almost as if she was understanding him and he gently pressed his finger against her palm, as a sort of baby high five.
It's when she's just fallen asleep that John pops his head around the door, "How's it going in here?"
"Fine," Roger nods, "She's out."
"Great. I'll sit with her. Freddie says he wants to put down the drums now."
"Remember what we said," Roger whispers to the sleeping baby before he puts her down in the travel cot they've got set up, kissing the soft wisps of hair on her head, "Our little secret."
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Four days before the wedding, Roger and Rebecca made their way to the best jeweller that Roger knew so they could pick out their wedding bands.
Upon entering the shop, they split ways and while she goes to look at the silver bands, she wants to match it with her engagement ring, Roger goes up to the counter to speak to the man behind it.
Rebecca's truly in awe of the collection that they have and if she was anywhere else, she'd probably be pressing her face against the glass but she stops herself. This is a fancy place and she has some self-control.
Her engagement ring is pretty spectacular and she doesn't want to take anything away from that because she absolutely loves it and so she focuses more attention on the plain silver bands but there are so many to consider.
Roger, on the other hand, couldn't care less about what he gets. In fact, he'll probably let Rebecca choose it. But he does like the darker metals, those are more him than say the silver or gold.
"Rog," she calls quietly and he makes his way toward her, resting his hand on the small of her back when she points to a pretty slim silver band.
"That one?" he asks, looking down at her to see that she's already looking at him, "You want that one?"
She nods, resting her head on his shoulder, "What about you?"
He shrugs, taking her hand to lead her over to show her the one he's seen.
When she sees it and the man lets her get a closer look, she knows why he likes it. It screams Roger. It's different to any she'd ever seen and she knows that it'll suit him perfectly.
"Do you like it?" he asks.
"I do," she nods, "But it doesn't matter if I like it. Do you like it?"
"I wouldn't have shown you it if I didn't," he squeezed her waist gently before looking at the man, "I'll take it."
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Three days before the wedding, Rebecca had finally finished planning the reception party. Well, Freddie had finished planning it. Like she thought he would, he took over pretty much straight away and to be honest, she didn't mind that one bit. She had told him that she only wanted family and friends there. That meant no strangers and once she got that through to him, she knew that she could trust him.
Roger came home from the studio that evening earlier than anticipated and as he climbed the stairs, he could hear loud music, Queen's music, Seven Seas Of Rhye if he was correct, coming from their flat and when he opened the door, he was met by the most wonderful sight.
Back to him, Rebecca was singing into her hairbrush, dancing around the living room wearing one of his old shirts that completely dwarfs her small figure and he hopes she has something on her bottom half.
The song was coming to an end when he finally shut the door, which she somehow heard over the music and she turned around, grinned at him but didn't stop her dancing.
She's got Freddie's mannerisms down to a T, the way he clenches his fist, the way he arches his back at certain notes and Roger watches her jump up onto the couch, propping one foot on the arm as she sings to him.
"I challenge the mighty titan and his troubadours,"
He shrugs off his jacket and moves to stand in front of her, staring up at her in amusement as she pauses dramatically for the final line.
"I'll take you to the seven seas of rhye!"
With that, the hairbrush is dropped onto the couch before she's throwing herself into his arms, giving him barely any time to catch her and he lets out a groan.
"Hi," she whispers, kissing his nose and he grins.
"Evening," he murmurs, keeping his voice just as quiet, "Is that what you do when I'm not here."
"Most of the time, yeah," she grins, gasping when he drops her down onto the couch with him falling down on top of her but he makes sure that he doesn't crush her.
"Quite the performer," he notes, lips brushing hers.
"My hairbrush is very impressed," she nods, rubbing his bottom lip with her thumb, "How was the studio?"
"I think we'd argue about the colour of the sky if we had to," he hums, pulling the collar of the shirt she was wearing down to expose her shoulder but focuses his attention on her neck.
"You've told the label, haven't you?" she asks, tilting her head to the side to give him easier access to her skin, "That we're getting married?"
"Nope,"
"Roger!"
"Why would I? I'm gonna do it even if they don't like it, aren't I? If they're not happy," he sucks on the spot below her ear, "Fuck 'em."
||-||
Two days before the wedding, Rebecca and Roger went over their plan to get everyone that they wanted to witness their wedding in the same place at the same time.
"There's a hotel just across the street from the registry office," Roger explains, "We'll just tell everyone to meet there for lunch. Tell them to dress nice."
"What if they try to go in?"
"We'll tell them we have to all go in together. We make sure we're the last ones there and then bam! They won't be expecting it until you step out of that car in a white dress."
Rebecca giggles and presses her forehead against his warm shoulder, "I can't believe we're doing this."
"This is okay, yeah?" Roger asks for what feels like the hundredth time, "I mean you'd tell me if it wasn't."
"It's perfect," she whispered, propping herself up on her elbow.
"You're perfect," he teased, laughing when her face flushed.
After all these years, he still had the same effect on her. He hopes it's always like that.
"Go to sleep, Roger," she instructs, turning over so she's laying on her other side and after turning off his light, he's quick to follow, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her back against his chest.
"Yes, ma'am."
||-||
One day before the wedding, Rebecca can feel the butterflies in her stomach multiply tenfold.
She's getting married tomorrow.
"Are we doing speeches?" Roger asks, raising an eyebrow at her.
"I'm not," she shudders, "No thank you. You can do one if you want,"
He shakes his head, "I'm good."
She laughs, "Thought you might say that."
"Speeches are traditional, aren't they?" he asks again, "And what's traditional about this wedding? Nothing."
"There is something I want to stick to that's pretty traditional."
"Yeah? And what's that?"
"I've booked a hotel room for the night. One in the hotel where we're having the reception."
"What?" he sits up, eyes wide, "Why?"
Rebecca gets up from the armchair and moves to sit beside him on the couch, "I don't want you to see me in my dress before. So either me or you can go to the hotel and the other will stay here."
"Why?"
"Because it's bad luck!" she says, laughing when he throws his head back against the couch.
He's such a drama queen.
When the time comes for her to leave, he wraps his arms around her tightly and rests his chin on top of her head, "Let me know that you get there safe."
"I will," she giggled, kissing his jaw, "Don't miss me too much."
He grabs her bag for her and carries it downstairs to where there's a cab waiting and after putting her bag into the boot, he's pulling her into his arms again.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Mr Taylor."
He hums and leans down to capture her lips with his, "I can't wait to call you Mrs Taylor. Go on, get going before I take you back upstairs."
So with one last kiss, Rebecca climbs into the car and Roger closes the door for her and then she's off.
Less than 24 hours to go.
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i liked writing a chapter like this so much the first time that i thought i'd do it again!
i know that i haven't described the dress at all and i'm not going to because i will not be able to do it justice. i genuinely have fallen in love with this dress that you will see in the next chapter because WE'RE GOING TO A WEDDING